Federal Ministry of Defense takes delivery of first Global 5000 from Lufthansa Technik
Total of four aircraft will be delivered on time and on budget by end of 2011
Lufthansa Technik has handed
over the first Global 5000 aircraft to the Special Air Mission Wing of the
German Federal Ministry of Defence (BMVg). The Parliamentary Secretary of State
in the office of the Minister of Defence,
Christian Schmidt, was in attendance.
Over 24 months, the aircraft was adapted to the special requirements of a governmental
transport aircraft. The Global 5000 aircraft was equipped with military
auxiliary equipment like communication systems and painted in the official
livery of German government aircraft. Beginning in September 2011 the German
Armed Forces Test and Evaluation Centre (WTD 61) commenced an intensive documentation
and testing program to prepare the aircraft for service.
This is the first of four medium-range Global 5000 aircraft that Lufthansa Technik will deliver to the Federal Ministry of Defence by the end of 2011 as part of the programme to renew the fleet of the Special Air Mission Wing. Therefore, also the last new sub-fleet will enter into service on time and on budget. The two Airbus ACJ319s were handed over in 2010 followed by the two Airbus A340-300 long-haul aircraft in the first half of 2011.
Uwe Mukrasch, member of the executive board of Lufthansa Technik, said, “The handover of the first Global 5000 aircraft marks the beginning of the last phase of the fleet renewal program for the Special Air Mission Wing of the Federal Ministry of Defence. By the end of the year, the German Air Force will also receive the other three aircraft of this type, thereby completing the new fleet.
We would not have been able to carry out this project so successfully without the highly professional cooperation with our partners from the Federal Ministry of Defence, the Federal Office of Defence Technology and Procurement, the German Air Force, Bombardier and Rolls-Royce. Our special thanks go to these people, along with our own personnel who were responsible for the complex central coordination of the program. Once the four Global 5000 aircraft have been delivered, future users of the service will have one of the world’s most up-to-date and versatile government fleets at their disposal. I wish all future passengers a happy landing always.”
Various additional measures were carried out especially to fulfil the requirements of the German Air Force. It is thus possible, as in the larger Airbus aircraft, to install a patient transport unit, equipped with intensive care facilities such as additional oxygen and a separate power supply, and thus use the Global 5000 aircraft to transport wounded and ill persons or accident victims. Secure communications equipment has also been installed.
In addition to the procurement of the new aircraft, Lufthansa Technik is also responsible for the technical and logistical support of the new medium-haul and long-haul aircraft. For the Global 5000 aircraft, this role will be taken on by Lufthansa Bombardier Aviation Services (LBAS) in Berlin-Schoenefeld. LBAS is a joint venture of Bombardier, ExecuJet and Lufthansa Technik. The technical services covered by the 10-year contract include service management, maintenance of the aircraft, engines (together with Rolls-Royce Germany) equipment and spare parts supply. It also comprises the preparation and maintenance of aeronautical and technical documentation.
